Drought in Montgomery County, MO: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

Montgomery County, MO: 7 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (18 wk), 2005 (13 wk), 2006 (27 wk), 2007 (17 wk), 2012 (28 wk), 2013 (18 wk) and 2023 (27 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Keep a lawn, but switch to drought-tolerant grass

Dry years come often enough to kill a thirsty lawn every few summers. Keep the lawn, reseed with a drought-tolerant mix, and put the beds on drip.

If you reseed, use a drought-tolerant mix and do it well clear of Oct, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of MO

81st most drought-prone of 115 MO counties; the MO middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Franklin County (2.7 in 10) and Saint Louis City (2.7 in 10). Driest in MO: Jasper County (4.6 in 10). Least drought: Perry County (1.2 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (23% of weeks), then Aug (22%) and Nov (19%). Least in Dec (6%). May to September averages 14%.

8 Jan
16 Feb
13 Mar
8 Apr
12 May
8 Jun
13 Jul
22 Aug
17 Sep
23 Oct
19 Nov
6 Dec

The worst year: 2012

2012: 28 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 13.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 4% at D2, 0.6% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 38 weeks, Jun 19, 2012 to Mar 5, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 27 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 5 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.